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R. NIEHAGE.

CANNON AND MOVING TARGET TOY.

APPucATloN FILED MAY1o.1s1a.

1,-,05,232,v Patented May 27,1919.

CANNON AND MOVING-TARGET TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1.919.

Application led Hay 10, 1918. Serial No. 233,734.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that LRICHARD NinHAcE, citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cannon and Moving-Target Toys, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates to cannon and moving target toys, and belongs the type vof mechanical toys wherein a device for throwing projectiles, ordinarily fashioned to represent a cannon, is directed at a target upon the same base andarranged at a little distance from the cannon.

The object of this invention is the production of a plaything of the character mentioned, wherein the cannon discharges a plurality of projectiles, one after another, toward a target or targets carried by a turntable,n and the cannon-operating mechanism includes a rotary member the rotation of which is by suitable connections transmitted to the turntable. lt is a further object of this invention to provide a housing for the targets, the housing having a ront opening or sight past which the targets are moved in succession.

To attain the objects stated certain specially constructed parts are employed as set forth in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure l represents a side view of all parts assembled, showing the barrel and upper portion of the cannon in section vertically lengthwise, and the target housing. in vertical section on the broken line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Portions of the base in Fig. l are broken away to disclose parts otherwisehidden. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of all parts assembled. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the pulleys and cord arrangement operated by the crank shaft of the cannon mechanism. Fig. 4 is a front view of the target housing.

Throughout the description and drawings the same letter is employed to refer to the same part.

Considering the drawings, the base A has the end blocks or feet a to raise it slightly. A'toy cannon B has a barrel b, and a hopper C for the reception of a number of balls c. The bottom ofthe hopper has an openin b through which the balls may drop singly into the breech of the gun.

As best .shown Fig. 1, there is a sliding pushrod D located in rear of the barrel of the cannon, and provided with a head d. A spring E acts against the head d of the pushrod as shown. At the back the pushrod D is provided with the' teeth e and an interrupted gear F has toothed sectors f that intermittently engage the teeth e. 'The gear F is carried upon the shaft G turned by the hand-crank q.

Arranged upon the base before the cannon and within proper range of it is' a target housing H, having a front or sight opening t presented to the mouth of the cannon. Within the housing is a horizontal partition or diaphragm J, having the circular opening j, and in the opening is placed a turntable K. The turntable is supported upon a spool c, that is revoluble upon a fixed, vertical spindle L, supported in the head of a bracket M. The spool turns in an orifice m in the base.

Upon the turntable are erected any number of targets N, each target being connected with the turntable by'a hinge such as the hinge n, in order'that the target may fall when struck inwardly upon the head O of the spindle L.

When thrown through the'sight opening k of the housing H the balls are ordinarily caught within the housing and upon the turntable and diaphragm or partition. is with this catching object in. view that the targets are made yielding or inclinatory inwardly ,with respect to the housing H. When in their upright positions,'the targets pass near the sight opening h in the housing H, as best shown in Fig. 1. lf the targets were held rigidly erect on the turntable, the balls would strike and rebound through the sight opening l1., and would not be caught within the housing as explained. The housing in practice is rectangular in cross-section as illustrated in Fig. 2. By

tilting the base A the balls, such as the ball c', as best shown in Fig. 2, will run into a 100 corner of the housing to the escape opening 'P that is normally closed by the flap'Q. By raising `the flap the balls will run out of the housing into the hand held to catch them,

when it is desired to return the balls to the 105 hopper C. l

Upon the crankshaft G is a pulley R and about the pulley vis a cord r, The cord .passes downwardly and partly around the pulleys S and s located in the slot T in the 110 Itv base and independently revoluble upon thev shaft t. From the pulleys S, s the Vcord eX- tends to and about the spool 7c.

In the operation of the invention, it is believed to be discernible from Fig. 1 that, when the crankshaft is turned the pushrod D is withdrawn against the force of the spring E, and a ball drops in front of the head d. The pushrod is operated when the teeth f of the gear F engage the teeth c of the rod. Vif-hen those portions of the gear without teeth come into position next the pushrod the rod escapes and lis driven by the force of the spring against the ball, and thc'ball is thrown through the bore of the gun and through the sight opening of the target housing. As the crankshaft is turned the balls are thrown one after another until all have been projected, and they -are caught in the housing upon the turntable and diaphragm j as previously eX- plained.

During the movement of the crankshaft, by reason of the cord connection guided by the pulleys as explained, the turntable revolves and the targets pass one after the other by the sight opening in the housing. Should one or more of the targets be struck, it or they will fall toward the middle of the turntable upon the head of the spindle. It

is usual in practice to mark the front of In a cannon and moving target toy, the

combination with a base, of a toy cannon for discharging projectiles and having a crank and crankshaft, a rect-angular target housing erected upon the said base and having a'sight opening and a horizontal partition provided with a circular opening, a turntable arranged in the said circular opening, a revoluble spool arranged to support the turntable, means comprising pulleys and p a cord whe-reby the revolution of said crankshaft is communicated to said spool to revvolve the turntable, inclinatory targets supported by the turntable and arranged to pass adjacent to the said sight opening, a ball escape opening located in one corner Aof the said housing, and a movable closure for the said escape opening.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

RICHARD N IEHAGE. 

